The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-11-17
.Aadsrsp,4 gntsl1igeneer.
a FAMOUS SPEECH.
How Patrick Henry Delivered Those THRILL
ing Words.

sls'., - Ing Words.
In his most interesting "Life of Pat
rick Henry published in the american
Statesman series, Professor Moses Colt
Tyler has brought to light an important
and most interesting description of Hen
RVS manner of delivering his most cele.
brated speech. It is contained in the
manuscript of Edward Fontaine, which
is now in the library of Cornell Univer-
sity, and is as follows:
.When he said lis life so dear or peace
so sweet as to be purchased at the price
of chains and slayery?' he stood in the
attitude of condemned galley slave
loaded with fetters awaiting his doom.
His form was bowed, his wrists were
crossed, his manacles were almost visible
as he stood like an embodiment of help
lessness and agony. After solemn
pause he raised his eyes and chained
hands towards heaven and prayed in
words and tones which thrilled every
heart: Forbid it, Almighty God /! He
then turned towards the timid loyalists of
the house, who we're quaking with terror
at the idea OF, the consequences of partlc-
ipating in proceedings which would be
visited with the penalties of treason by
the British crown, and he slowly bent his
form yet nearer to the earth and said, i
know not what course others may take
and he accompanied the words with his
hands still crossed, while he seemed to be
weighed down with additional chains.
The man appeared transformed into an
oppressed, heart.broken and hopeless
felon.
ssAfter remaining in: this posture of
humiliation long enough to impress the
imagination with the condition of the
colony under the iron heel of military
despotism, he arose proudly and exclaim.
ed But as for me'-and the words hissed
through his clinched teeth, while his
body was thrown back, and every muscle
and tendor was strained against the fetters
which bound him, and with his counter;
ance distorted by agony and rage, he
looked for a moment like LAGOON in his
death struggle with coiling serpents, then
/: the loud, clear, triumphant notes, Give
me liberty, electrified the assembly. It
was not q prayer, but q stern demand,
which would submit to no refusal or
delay. The sound of his voice IS ihe;
spoke these memorable words was like
that Of g Spartan pecan on the field of
Plata; and as each syllable of the word
liberty echoed through the building his
fetters were shivered; his arms we're
hurled apart, and the links of his chains
were scattered to the winds. When he
spoke the word .:iberty,' with an empha.
sis never given it before, his hands were
open and his arms elevated and extended !;
I his countenance was radient; he stood
erect and defiant, while the sound of his
yoica and the snblimity of his attitude
made him appear a maj aagnttfcsnt incarha-
stion of freedom, and expressed all that
can be- acquired or enjoyed by nations
and individuals invincible and free.
After momentary pause only long
enough to permit the echo of the word
liberty to cease, he let his left hand fall
poHerless to his side and clinched his
right hand firmly, as if holding dagger
with the point aimel at his breast. He
s stood like q Roman senator defying
Cesar, while the unconquerable spirit of
Cato Of Utica flashed from eyeryfeature,
and he closed the grand appeal with the
solemn words, sor give me DEATH which
sounded with the awful cadence of he.
ro's dirge, fearless of death and victorious
in.death;; and he suited the action to the
word by q blow upon the left breast with
3 the right hand, which seemed to drive
the dagger to the patriots heart"